At present, the methods generally used to position fixed windows during course of automobile assembly are completely automated through the use of machine tools.
Fixed windows such as for example, windshields, rear side windows or back windows are now installed using conventional methods of adhering them to a recess in the vehicle body which forming a groove in the opening by means of a peripheral bead of adhesive.
Because of manufacturing allowances in vehicle body construction and the need to leave space for expansion, when the window is positioned there is a relatively large gap between the flange of the window and the end of the vehicle body.
For esthetic reasons, it is preferable to camouflage this gap by covering it with a frame profile or a perimeter seal also called an enhancer which may comprise, for example, a flexible masking lip used to compensate for the allowances.
In addition to their esthetic function, these frame profiles serve the additional purpose of positioning the window when the window is glued to the flanges of the opening in the vehicle body during assembly.
Actually, during the assembly procedure, a bead of adhesive is deposited on the groove in the metal vehicle body. The window is then gripped by a machine tool, generally using suction devices, placed in the opening to be covered, and finally pressed against the bead of adhesive until it is in the desired position.
For reasons related to air flow and esthetics, the industry has sought a way to position windows flush with the vehicle body, without any offset areas or protuberances between the window and the adjacent metal of the body.
Furthermore, in positioning the window, it is important to maintain optimal spacing between the window and the groove in the body so that on the one hand, the bead of adhesive is compressed sufficiently to adhere and form a tight seal between the window and the body, and on the other hand, the window does not exert so much pressure on the still liquid bead of glue that it overflows and drips onto the car body.
For all these reasons, it is desirable to maintain precise spacing between the window and the groove in the body that forms the edge of the opening. Advantageously, the seal may also comprise stop means to regulate this distance.
In the prior art various models of frame elements for maintaining the spacing between the window and the edges of the vehicle body opening have been proposed. For example, such elements have been described in French Patent Application No. 2.340.217 of REGIE NATIONALE DES USINES RENAULT or in European Patent Application No. EP 0.117.816 of VEGLA GmbH.
However, these elements are complex devices formed of several composite pieces. They entail long, expensive manufacturing and placement procedures, adding considerably to both the expense and length of time required to position the window.